1. Field of the Preferred Embodiment(s)
This invention generally relates to a pointing device for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor on a display screen. Specifically, there is a pointing stick, an interposer, resistor based strain gages and a flex cable.
The following applications are herein incorporated by reference for supportive and related teachings:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/1717517, filed Sep. 23, 1996 is a collar mounted pointing stick and has the same assignee as the present invention. PA1 U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/756202, filed Nov. 25, 1996 is a pointing stick with z-axis actuation and has the same assignee as the present invention. PA1 U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/938274, filed Sep. 26, 1997 is a unified bodied z-axis pointing stick and has the same assignee as the present invention. PA1 U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/794703, filed Feb. 4, 1997 is a z-axis pointing stick with ESD protection and has the same assignee as the present invention.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manufacturers of portable laptop computers, recognizing the need for placing the cursor controlling device in a permanent and more convenient location, installed a small stubby, button-like joystick centrally around the keys of the computer keyboard, specifically at the juncture of the "g," "h" and "b" keys of the standard "QWERTY" keyboard. The joystick, also known as a pointing stick, was sensitive to lateral pressure, the amount and direction of which were sensed and input into the computer to cause movement of the cursor, and the speed and direction of cursor movement corresponded to the amount and direction of pressure on the joystick. That manufacturer may also provide two upwardly extending "mouse" or "click" buttons immediately below the space bar.
Despite the advantages of each type of prior art cursor control, none have been easily or economically manufactured. In particular, providing the electrical connections between the resistors and the flexible cable which connects to a computer mother board has been complicated and expensive. The electrical connections typically employ hand soldering or screening solder paste and then reflowing the solder paste in a reflow oven. Therefore, there is a current unmet and heretofore long felt need for a pointing stick, which is easily connected to a flexible cable.